I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automotive fuel tank fill assembly.
II. Description of the Prior Art
In conventional automotive vehicles, a fuel tube has one end adapted to receive fuel and a second end open to the fuel tank. The first end of the fill tube, in turn, is secured to an automotive body.
A normally closed inlet flapper door is operatively coupled with the first end of the fuel tube which allows a conductive path from the nozzle to the filler tube and also prevents a leaded nozzle from filling. These previously known inlet flapper doors, however, have typically been secured to the automotive body fluidly in series with the fill tube.
While these previously known fill tubes and inlet flapper doors have performed satisfactorily, they have been unnecessarily complex in both their construction as well as their assembly to the automotive vehicle. As such, the fuel tank fill assembly for the automotive vehicle has proven unduly expensive in practice. Additionally, they have not satisfactorily prevented the escape of fuel vapors into the atmosphere.
The present invention provides an automotive fuel tank fill assembly for a fuel tank which overcomes all of the abovementioned disadvantages of the previously known devices.
In brief, the fuel tank fill assembly of the present invention includes a fuel fill tube having, a first end adapted to receive fuel and a second end open to the fuel tank. The fill tube includes a spiral indentation formed around its first end. The spiral indentation forms both an internal and external thread at the first end of the tube.
The fuel tank fill assembly further includes an inlet valve housing which contains a normally closed inlet valve. This valve prevents fuel vapor from escaping to the atmosphere when closed via a sealed flapper door mechanism. This in let valve housing includes also an external thread dimensioned to threadably engage the internal thread on the fill tube. Additionally, an outwardly protruding latch on the inlet valve housing engages an inwardly protruding detent on the fill tube in order to rotationally lock the inlet valve housing to the fill tube at a predetermined rotational position relative to each other.
The fuel tank assembly further includes a mount housing which secures the fill tube to the automotive vehicle and, optionally, contains a fill valve. The mount housing includes an internal thread which is dimensioned to threadably engage the external thread on the fill tube. Additionally, an inwardly protruding tab on the mount housing engages the detent on the fill tube to lock the mount housing to the fill tube at a predetermined rotational position relative to each other.